As promised, Sony has started rolling out the 4K video support for the PlayStation 4 Pro's media player.
For the uninitiated, 4K gaming is a growing trend for players around the world. While this super resolution can be achieved in PCs without much fuss, console developers have had to work harder to bring technology, which would support it on their platforms as well.
With both Microsoft and Sony finding ways to integrate the technology, the companies released the Xbox One S and the PS4 Pro consoles, respectively, for 4K gaming.
However, Sony's console was surprisingly lacking in one department. The PS4 Pro was unable to support 4K video playback using its media player. This meant that the media player housed in the console was only able to play videos at Full HD resolution (1,920 x 1,080 pixels).
So, while people have criticized the PS4 Pro's inability to play 4K Blu-Ray disks, a feature which is present in Microsoft's Xbox One S, it seems Sony is trying to appease fans with the update.
4K VR Video Capability
Sony began pushing out the update, which fixes the video playback issue and allows viewing of 4K videos through the media player, on March 27 in North America.
For users who own both the PlayStation VR headset along with the PS4 Pro, this update would support 4K VR videos. The headsets have HD displays, so the videos will not sport 4K resolution. However, Sony claims that these would offer a superior quality when compared to simple HD VR video playback.
"Capture stunning 360 degree 4K footage, and then immerse yourself in that footage in VR at home - just as if you're right back in the scene you shot," revealed John Koller, Sony's Vice President of PlayStation Brand Marketing.
To take advantage of any of the console's 4K capabilities, users would also need to own a 4K television.
The Update: Any Limitations?
The update has some limitations that have been outlined by Koller and will disappoint users. The primary limitation is that Sony's 4K videos will have to be in mp4 format for the console to be able to play them. Moreover, these files would have to be stored on a USB device or a home server.
Additionally, users will be unable to use drives, which have been formatted, for additional PS4 storage space to play these videos.
Moreover, the update will still not allow users to play 4K Blu-Ray discs using the console. This is because it is a hardware issue, which cannot be addressed by software updates.
